1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data input system for outputting input data to a predetermined communication partner.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent rapid spread of LAN""s (local area networks) is pronounced, and an environment which introduces electronic mailing as well as groupware, including, for example, electronic bulletin boards and electronic conferences, is becoming common. In such an environment, the number of peripheral apparatuses of a computer, such as a network printer, a network facsimile apparatus and the like, is increasing, and a large number of client terminals (computers) can share these apparatuses. Among these apparatuses, by simply performing operations, such as printing and transmission, at each client terminal, a network printer can provide a printout, and a network facsimile apparatus can perform facsimile transmission of a document. However, sharing of a scanner for reading an image of an original in a network is not yet realized. Conventionally, when a client terminal in a network intends to read an image of an original using a scanner, it is necessary to directly connect the scanner to the client terminal without passing through the network. Recently, a proposal has been made in which, by assigning a client on a network through an operation unit of a scanner connected via an information processing terminal for device control, an image read by the scanner is transferred to the client.
Conventionally, however, when input of image data has been assigned, the input of the image data is performed irrespective of the status of the communication partner.
Accordingly, even if output to the assigned communication partner cannot be performed for some reason, image data is input, thereby causing useless processing for the input, and a problem of how to deal with the input image data.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system which can prevent, in advance, the input of useless data.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system which can easily output data to a desired communication partner.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an image reading system in which the operator""s load is reduced.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a data input system having an improved throughput.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a data processing apparatus including input means for inputting data, assigning means for assigning a communication partner to which the data input by the input means is to be output, confirmation means for confirming information relating to the communication partner assigned by the assigning means, and control means for performing control so that the input of the data by the input means is not executed in accordance with a result of the confirmation by the confirmation means.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a data processing method including the steps of inputting data, assigning a communication partner to which the data input in the inputting step is to be output, confirming information relating to the communication partner assigned in the assigning step, and performing control so that the input of the data in the inputting step is not executed in accordance with a result of the confirmation in the confirming step.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a data processing method including the steps of inputting data, identifying a communication partner to which the data input in the inputting step is to be output, confirming information relating to the communication partner identified in the identifying step, and performing control so that the input of the data in the inputting step is not executed in accordance with a result of the confirmation in the confirming step.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a computer readable program, stored in a storage medium, including the steps of causing input of data, causing discrimination of a communication partner to which the data input in the inputting step is to be output, causing confirmation of information relating to the communication partner discriminated in the discriminating step, and performing control so that the input of the data in the inputting step is not executed in accordance with a result of the confirmation in the confirming step.
According to yet a further aspect, the present invention which achieves these objectives relates to a method for controlling a system including an image reading apparatus for reading an image of an original, and an information processing terminal for controlling the image reading apparatus. The method includes the steps of, in the image reading apparatus, instructing to read the image of the original, and assigning a communication partner to which image data obtained by reading the image of the original is to be output, and in the information processing terminal, confirming information relating to the assigned communication partner, and controlling the image reading apparatus so that the image of the original is not read in accordance with a result of the confirmation.